Method and apparatus for recording used labels

Abstract

A thermal transfer printer which includes a labeling media drive subassembly and ribbon drive subassembly which cooperatively advance labeling media and a thermal transfer ink ribbon past a print head subassembly. A labeling media supply spool is rotatably driven by the labeling media drive subassembly to feed labeling media. The labeling media supply spool has labeling media with a plurality of labels on a web wrapped around a spool core. An inventory of labels available for printing on the spool is stored on a memory device. The memory device is electrically connected to printer circuitry in a printer. When the printer prints on a label, the inventory on the memory device is updated to reflect the unavailability of the printed label.

We claim:  
     
       1. A printing system comprising: 
       a spool;  
       a plurality of labels disposed on said spool for use by the printing system during the operation of the printing system;  
       a memory device associated with said spool for storing data indicative of the inventory unused labels on said spool;  
       data stored in said memory device specifying the inventory of said plurality of labels; and  
       printer circuitry electrically connected to said memory device, said circuitry having means operable to read said data from said memory device to determine the unused labels on said spool that are available for printing and means operable to update said data stored in said memory device when one or more labels are used by the printing system.  
     
     
       2. The printing system as in  claim 1 , in which said memory device includes circuitry which is nonvolatile and electrically alterable. 
     
     
       3. The printing system as in  claim 1 , including a chip holder for slidably attaching said memory device to said spool such that the memory device remains stationary when the spool is rotated during use, wherein said memory device is fixed to said chip holder. 
     
     
       4. The printing system as in  claim 3 , in which said chip holder has a loop which extends around the spool to slidably attach said chip holder to said spool. 
     
     
       5. The printing system as in  claim 4 , in which a groove is formed around the spool proximal an end of said spool for receiving said loop. 
     
     
       6. The printing system as in  claim 1 , in which other information is stored in said memory device, and the printer circuitry is operable to read the other information for controlling the printing operation. 
     
     
       7. A printing system comprising: 
       a chassis;  
       a spool supported by said chassis;  
       a plurality of labels disposed on said spool for use by the printing system during the operation of the printing system;  
       a memory device associated with said spool for storing data indicative of the inventory of unused labels on said spool;  
       data stored in said memory device specifying the inventory of said plurality of labels; and  
       printer circuitry electrically connected to said memory device, said circuitry having means operable to read said data stored on said memory device to determine the unused labels on said spool that are available for printing and means operable to write to said memory device to update said data when one or more labels are used by said printing system.  
     
     
       8. The printing system as in  claim 7 , in which a pair of cones is rotatably mounted to said chassis, and said spool is supported between said cones. 
     
     
       9. The printing system as in  claim 7 , in which said memory device includes circuitry which is nonvolatile and electrically alterable. 
     
     
       10. The printing system as in  claim 7 , including a chip holder for slidably attaching said memory device to said spool such that the memory device remains stationary when the spool is rotated during use, wherein said memory device is fixed to said chip holder. 
     
     
       11. The printing system as in  claim 10 , in which said chip holder has a loop which extends around the spool to slidably attach said chip holder to said spool. 
     
     
       12. The printing system as in  claim 11 , in which a groove is formed around the spool proximal an end of said spool for receiving said loop. 
     
     
       13. The printing system as in  claim 7 , in which other information is stored in said memory device, and the printer circuitry is operable to read the other information for controlling the printing operation.